Toronto film festival honours Chinese cinema
(AFP)
Updated: 2005-09-08 09:08

TORONTO (AFP) - The Toronto International Film Festival, which opens Thursday, will mark a century of Chinese cinema and the 35th anniversary of Sino-Canadian diplomatic relations by screening nine Chinese films.

Hong Kong action film star Jackie Chan speaks to the media, August 2005. The Toronto International Film Festival, which opens Thursday, will mark a century of Chinese cinema and the 35th anniversary of Sino-Canadian diplomatic relations by screening nine Chinese films. [AFP]

Coinciding with Chinese President Hu Jintao's first official visit to Canada, the festival will host the world premieres of three Chinese movies: Stanley Tong's action adventure movie "The Myth" starring Jackie Chan and Tony Leung Ka Fai, Wilson Yip's fight flick "SPL," and Stanley Kwan's "Everlasting Regret" based on Wang Anyi's award-winning novel "Changhen Ge."

"It's a very, very interesting period in Chinese film making," said Jiovanna Fulvi, the festival's Chinese content programmer.

"Productions are very diverse and there are many new voices up and coming and I think it's important for the Toronto festival to portray that," Fulvi said.

The vast economic and social changes taking place across China are behind the upsurge in independent Chinese films, Fulvi said, as film producers and directors try to make sense of the changes.

"Also, there is more and more freedom of expression nowadays in China," she said. "Toronto wants to celebrate those freedoms."

In previous years, Toronto audiences welcomed Chinese directors Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, among others.

On Thursday, festival organizers will present a delegation of filmmakers and representatives of the Chinese film industry, as well as Chinese Vice Minister of State Administration of Radio, Film and Television Zhao Shi at a gala screening of "The Myth."

Director Li Yu will screen her second feature film, titled "Dam Street," following the success of her first film, "Fish and Elephant" about lesbians in China. And director Ning Ying aims to "shake audiences out of their preconceived ideas of women's roles in China" with her film "Perpetual Motion."

Independent film-makers in China "have very strong voices at the moment in China and are showing what's really going on in society," Fulvi said.

"Sunflower" by director Zhang Yang and Wang Xiaoshuai's "Shanghai Dreams" take a personal look at the effects of China's Cultural Revolution decades later, representing the latest soul searching efforts by independent Chinese film-makers, she said.

"They focus on the psychological impact and how the Cultural Revolution impacted families and family relationships. It's important to show that. It's about time that China is talking about that," she said.

Chinas first film, Ding Jung Shan ("Conquering Jun Mountain"), was produced in 1905.

Today more than 200 feature films are produced in China each year. The country has 36 state-owned film studios, and more than 200 private production companies.

Close

Paris Hilton turns happy homemaker Olympics themed jetliner ascends into the sky Best and worst dressed 2005

Today's Top News     Top Life News
Siberian oil pipeline to go to China first: Putin         China to expand relations with Canada: Hu         ADB: China economy to grow 9.2% this year         Showbiz opens up to foreign investors         Wu : Co-operation crucial for peace         Bush suffers in polls post-Katrina	US shelters for pets fill with furry survivors       Paris Hilton turns happy homemaker       Clinton visits AIDS patients in China       Attack on Xi'an police opens legal can of worms       Chinese farmers remain marginalized economically       Barbara Bush: It's good enough for the poor